BOOKISH THURSDAY # 17: SERENDIPITOUS MOMENTS

bookish thursdays

 

Welcome to Thursday, a day that once seemed lost, with nothing exciting happening anywhere.  But then that changed, and today I am celebrating some of the bookish events around the blogosphere, like Lexxie’s Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts; Kimberlyfaye’s TBR Thursday; and Christine’s Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts.

My featured book today is one I purchased in January 2015, so it has been languishing on Pippa for a while.  Lost and Found, by Brooke Davis, is an irresistible debut novel about the wisdom of the very young, the mischief of the very old, and the magic that happens when no one else is looking.

 

 

 

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In our Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts snippet, our young character, Millie, has been left behind by her mother, told to wait in the section Millie calls “the Ginormous Women’s Underwear,” where she patiently waits, watching the people, and getting hungrier as time passes.  Finally she notices a man with some food.

Are you gonna eat that? she says, pointing to a muffin.  He pushes the plate toward her.

Millie shoves the muffin into her mouth.  Why won’t you drink your coffee? she says, mouth full, pushing his coffee toward him.

I don’t want it.  He pushes it back.

Millie wraps her hands around it and leans over it, feeling the steam rising beneath her chin.  Why did you get it?

It’s nice to have somewhere to put my hands.

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I’m not sure about this one, but the other characters sound interesting, and I’m curious about what will happen to the hungry and thirsty girl.

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tbr-thursday

Let’s find out more about this book, for TBR Thursday.

 

Millie Bird, seven years old and ever hopeful, always wears red gumboots to match her curly hair. Her struggling mother, grieving the death of Millie’s father, leaves her in the big ladies’ underwear department of a local store and never returns.

Agatha Pantha, eighty-two, has not left her house—or spoken to another human being—since she was widowed seven years ago. She fills the silence by yelling at passersby, watching loud static on TV, and maintaining a strict daily schedule.

Karl the Touch Typist, eighty-seven, once used his fingers to type out love notes on his wife’s skin. Now that she’s gone, he types his words out into the air as he speaks. Karl’s been committed to a nursing home, but in a moment of clarity and joy, he escapes. Now he’s on the lam.

Brought together at a fateful moment, the three embark upon a road trip across Western Australia to find Millie’s mother. Along the way, Karl wants to find out how to be a man again; Agatha just wants everything to go back to how it was.

Together they will discover that old age is not the same as death, that the young can be wise, and that letting yourself feel sad once in a while just might be the key to a happy life.

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Now I am more curious about the story.  It sounds quirky and engaging.  What do you think?

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Let’s share some Bookish (and Not So Bookish) Thoughts:

 

  • After several triple digit days, today was wonderfully cool at 85-90 degrees.  See, amazing how weather that might actually be fairly warm can feel cool in comparison to 102-103.
  • I met a friend for lunch today at The Elephant Bar, and I know I mention that place a lot here, but it is one of my favorites.  I had this frothy drink with my soup and salad:

 

 

jUNE 8 - POMEGRANATE MARTINI

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  • I’ve been binge-watching Revenge again, and I’m almost finished with Season I.  It is not my favorite show on Netflix, but I needed a break from the regular crime shows, which I love, but which were starting to seem a little too dark;
  • I’m reading I Let You Go, by Claire Mackintosh, a sad tale of a child killed by a hit and run driver.  We follow the mother’s actions as she escapes to Wales (from Bristol), trying to forget, while back home, the inspectors work to try to find the killer;
  • I read and reviewed Wilde Lake earlier this week (click for review).

 

 

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  • Last week, I did some furniture shuffling, moving things around to give the space a new look, and to make a few things better for my use.  Here’s my little roll top desk (formerly in my bedroom), now living in my office nook, where I am working away most days;

 

June 3 office changes 3

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  • I moved the drop leaf table that once was in this nook; it now resides in the dining area/entry way.   I hope to find some small chairs to go alongside the table;

 

 

June 5 - table, etc.

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  • Even though the temperature was cooler today, it is a temporary reprieve, we’re told.  I hope to make that trip up North to the beach town where my youngest son and DIL live.  Here they are on the beach on Memorial Day.

 

 

The beach on Memorial Day - 2016

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So that’s my week so far….what did yours like like?

 

 

may 24 another look at the patio

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16 thoughts on “BOOKISH THURSDAY # 17: SERENDIPITOUS MOMENTS

  1. Lost & Found is by an Australian author and was published with much fanfare here. Naturally, I jumped on it straight away… But had very mixed feelings once I read it. There were some elements that I really enjoyed but a couple of the characters irritated me. In the end, I couldn’t get past the fact that the premise of the story – a little girl is abandoned by her mother – really tough reading. Will be interested to hear your thoughts (mine were against the general tide – most people I know loved it).

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for visiting, Kate, and I agree that an abandoned child is a tough one to get past…especially since the blurb makes it all sound like great fun for the three characters that get together for a road trip. I am curious, now, however….and I’m glad that some liked this one. Maybe I’ll give it a go.

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    1. I gather that you don’t have one near you? It is great fun, and, as you know, I go there quite a bit. I really love it when I meet my second son, his kids, and my other grandchildren there for a celebratory lunch, which we do a couple of times a year. Although sometimes we go to other restaurants.

      Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the rest of your week, Mary, and hopefully with temperatures that are pleasant.

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  2. Oh you have quite a few posts on Thursday! They are all so lovely! Now I want a muffin and coffee too! And your week sounds like you had fun too! Lunch with friend is my favourite time apart from reading time lol.
    Thank you for visiting my blog! 🙂
    Followed you on Bloglovin’ too!
    ~ Priyanka @A Booklion’s Hideaway

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, I love spending time with friends, too, and going out to a favorite restaurant makes it like a celebration for me. Thanks for stopping by, Priyanka, and I enjoyed your hideaway today.

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  3. I love how you move furniture around and clear stuff out to make new spaces. I’m not good at re-thinking room layouts but sometimes it just makes spaces so much better. I’m not in love with the excerpt though I do understand wanting a cup so you have something to do with your hands but I am intrigued by the blurb. I’ll be curious to see what you think of it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Katherine; I agree about the quote, but maybe the story will engage me.

      I have always loved rearranging my rooms, which is one way I deal with boredom. I especially love finding new uses for old things.

      Like

  4. Oh, my Lord, 102-degree days! I remember those from my Virginia childhood. In London, I’ve been thankful on the rare days it reaches 79 or 80. At least constant, suffocating heat is predictable – you always know what to wear (as little as humanly possible)!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, it’s pretty gruesome, Elle, but sometimes it gets up to 114-115, which it did during one infamous summer in 2006…for ten days straight. I headed for the beach. After a while, one can adjust, but we still love to grumble…lol.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Oh my goodness! You’re already so hot. We haven’t hit the triple digits yet and I’m hoping we don’t until at least next month. It has been in the 90s every day, though, and it’s hard to figure out a good time to get outside and go for a walk with the baby!

    I’ve heard great things about Lost and Found. Hope you have a great weekend. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for visiting, Trish, and yes, it has been very hot. It is in the 90s today, though, and through the weekend…a reprieve! But it will head upwards again next week.

      I am now curious about Lost and Found, too, and I’m glad for the chance to search my Kindle for books I’ve had a while.

      Like

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